CLLE/Long Lee carbine?? LOTS of pics.

This finally arrived today. It was billed as a Long Lee carbine. I don't know where to begin with this. I saw the 'Khyber' lettering on the buttsocket early on, but everything else looked legit, so I snagged it. I have given it a once over, and everything looks like the real deal. Here are some highlights of it....buttplate bears a unit marking of '19.LD.' Any idea on unit ID? Right side of buttstock bears remnants of a roundel and unit markings. I will have to get a loop on those to make them out. It appears to have a barrel date of 1909. All proof marks appear legit. Volley sights are legit. Knoxform marked 'E' for Enfield rifling, which by the way, the rifling is really nice. All in all, this seems to be a legit 'carbine', with 'Khyber' marked buttsocket. No idea why. Lots of pics here, looking forward to opinions on this one.

I agree that the parts look good other than the front band and the handguard, but was there such a thing as a CLLE carbine?

I think this was a BSA Commercial CLLE converted to carbine, perhaps by one of the Pakistani/Afghani work shops.

Q is it a range pattern rifle conversion.

The butt stock marking is typical of guns converted/processed by a Pakistan company that I was told went out of business and their inventory imported to the US (electro pencil serial number). I have handled probably 25 to 30 of them. Shortened originals and made up look a likes. This one is nicer than most. PS there are no issue CLLE carbines. Note N on socket indicating former Naval ownership.

Naval ownership, you say? Pretty neat! I just took it out of the wood, there is a '97 marking on the underneath of the barrel. 1897? Plus a plethora o' proof markings. I'll get those pics up soon.

retracted:
missed some of the pictures and evidence to the contrary.

well Warren ,you definitely got my attention. I'd like to see a pic of one to compare. This one has some Arabic writing on the buttstock, I guess it's possible it made it's way there somehow. Definitely post some pics, thanks!

When I get some time I will post a series of pictures of the Latvian cavalry carbine.
They are just another of the limited editions of odd balls that were made up in the post war period.

Few more pics. Anyone have any ideas to the unit mark, 19.LD?

19 LD. is likely the 19th Battalion of the London Regiment (Territorials). Immediately prior to and early WWI, most Territorial units were armed with CLLEs, especially those in the Dardanelles/middle east (2/19 was in Salonika & Palestine, for example)

hi there,
Really nice rifle, I've not seen any in Canada,having a hard time obtaining one. I do have a picture of my Grandad marching off to war with one over his shoulder with the 1st of the 1st London Division, don't know much else, other than I'd like one. I have a Enfield made rifle not original, so I'm thinking of converting it, by adding the bridge.
Second to this I've seen some picture of these, with early or a german scope on it, being used as sniper rifles, for which I would think they were excellent. Would anyone out there, be able to put more meat on the bones, I'd love to know more, and what would the 1st of the 1st tag be, if if just following the logic below, thanks.

Jrhead, interesting. I found a page of British and Commonwealth unit abbreviations, it shows 'LD' to be 'Light Dragoons'. But wasn't that unit disbanded long before this rifle was built?
There are also remnants of unit/rack numbers (?) on the right side of the buttstock, but so far, very hard to read.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anzac15

Jrhead, interesting. I found a page of British and Commonwealth unit abbreviations, it shows 'LD' to be 'Light Dragoons'. But wasn't that unit disbanded long before this rifle was built?
There are also remnants of unit/rack numbers (?) on the right side of the buttstock, but so far, very hard to read.

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19th Light Dragoons became the 19th Lancers in 1816, and disbanded a while after that during the draw down after the Napoleonic wars. As far as I know, all light dragoon units were gone long before the magazine rifle era. Disbanded or converted to lancers or hussars. There's a page in Skennerton's "The Broad Arrow" (pg.89) that shows a couple of the Territorial units of the London Regiment using the "LD" abbreviation.

Gotcha. Interesting.

If the barrel is original with the receiver, then it is a 1897 produced BSA L.E. I, the I* marking on the left wrist strap is consistent with LSA conversion to Charger Loading, probably in 1909. The E Enfield inspection stamp to the right of the bolt way could, indicate that the rifle was upgraded to Mk VII ammunition there.